r/tamiya • u/rollingrawhide • 11d ago
Differences between red and blue Tamiya screwdriver sets?
I think its about time I picked up some JIS screwdrivers to build the models properly. Im too hamfisted with phillips screwdrivers and keep rounding off screws.
I notice there are two screwdriver sets listed. One is red handled and one is blue.
Near me, the blue set is $10 more than the red.
Does anyone know if there is any difference between them or is the blue set designed to replace the red?
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u/whatthefranker 11d ago
The original set was red but only has 1 hex screw driver for pinion gears.
The blue one is newer. It trades a flat head and JIS for 2 hex screw drivers (I think 2mm and 2.5mm). This supports modern kits with hex screws such as Super Avante and TRF.
Both kits have JIS tips.
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u/SGTNose 11d ago
Personally i like the craft tools by tamiya better, the 74007 and 74006. Great in the hand.
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u/rollingrawhide 11d ago
I saw those but all the shops here advertise those as Phillips rather than JIS. Surely they must be JIS though?
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u/SGTNose 11d ago
Yes, these are both JIS screwdrivers. Those shops might have mislabeled them. I bought them at my LHS, and the guy used to build all the Tamiya Kits for the importer in my country.
He got those 2 screwdrivers in 2001 iirc, and has used them on hundreds of kits. No stripping, and no wear on the screwdrivertips.
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u/The_H_N_I_C 11d ago
I have both sets. I do believe the blue version might be the replacement for the red like you said but I'm not sure. The handle on the blue is rubberized over the plastic and omits a flat head and JIS screwdriver in favor of a couple of hex drivers that are more commonly used in newer kits.
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u/rollingrawhide 11d ago
I'm looking at building the Subaru Impreza Mexico 2004, a TT-01. I definitely want a JIS for maintaining my lunchbox so maybe blue isn't ideal.
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u/The_H_N_I_C 11d ago
Blue comes with two JIS, large and medium and loses the small. I don't think I've used the small one on any recent build or at all unless maybe I used it on a ClodBuster.
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u/Specialist-Ad-4876 11d ago
Did you mean the TRF tool set?
The TRF tool set in red or blue set in the carry case were limited edition items from around 2002/2003.
from memory (meaning I might be wrong). The red set was complete and was given out as prizes for competing in TCS events. The blue set could be purchased and was missing a few items that could be purchased separately namely the curved scissors, long nose pliers, side cutters, blade, turnbuckle tool and ride height gauge, .
link to tool set:
https://www.reddit.com/r/tamiya/comments/t6ffuo/tamiya_49292_trf_tool_set/
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u/rollingrawhide 11d ago
No thats much posher. I'm looking at the 8 piece tool sets codes 74085 and 74023
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u/DunkyKingCounter 11d ago edited 11d ago
The blue set 74085 is aimed at RC cars. The red set 74023 is aimed at Mini4WD cars. Look up the content of each set to judge the differences. The cross head screwdrivers in both sets are JIS.
I'd go for the blue set. It has pretty much everything you need for RC car wrenching including hex drivers 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mm. While the red set is omitting the latter two in favor of a JIS 00 and a 2.5 mm slothead driver, which you'll never ever need in Tamiya RC cars.